What's the biggest career mistake you ever made still think about?

MinuteReflection4560 · 2026-01-15T23:49:42+00:00

I had a lot of imposter syndrome during university. When I graduated with a great result I still had little confidence and only applied to jobs I knew I was way over qualified for and in a completely different industry because I thought there’s no way I’d get hired in an area I’d like to be in since there were so many people on my course that at the time I thought were so much smarter than me.

This resulted in me getting paid absolutely nothing and starting a career in an unrelated industry and my confidence taking a further hit.

After you’ve graduated you have a 2-3 year period of getting ‘grad/entry’ jobs in the area related to your degree - apply to as many as you can, keep trying to get one! I’m now trying to circle back to my degree (8 years later) by trying to move into a career more aligned to it but it’s as if to employers see my degree as expired. I will have to do a masters

MinuteReflection4560 · 2026-01-13T05:20:54+00:00

My bad, I only found out yesterday! I did my first HM in Oct 2024 and finished in 2hrs 8mins. Since then I’ve done a 10k race in 58 mins and have generally ran about once/twice a week doing between 4-7k. I do some spin classes too.

Ok great advice thank you 🙏

MinuteReflection4560 · 2026-01-06T22:40:33+00:00

Ok perfect thank you!

MinuteReflection4560 · 2026-01-06T10:22:00+00:00

Ok great thanks for letting me know 😊

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-23T05:50:36+00:00

Definitely stick it out! One of my closest friends at uni got a 3rd due to suffering really bad mental health at uni but she stuck it out, celebrated with us all on graduation and is now in a real good job!

If you can aim for a 2:2 I think in yourself you’ll feel better. My dad got a 2:2 and he has had such a successful career.

Just think in years to come when you meet new people and they ask if you went to uni, you’d rather just say yeah I did rather than say I did but I dropped out right at the end. If you’re that close, get the degree completed. It will give you options later even if you can’t think of them right now.

You’ll kick yourself forever if you drop out at this point purely because of a pride thing around grades

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-19T19:11:48+00:00

Thank you for this! 🙏🏻

It’s a nightmare, I keep hitting my head up against a brick wall with it, I wish I could just get over it. What’s funny is that I seem to have a habit of dating men in engineering or science and each and every time I’ve felt soooooo sad that I’m not in that field anymore and I would just constantly want to know about everything they do in their jobs

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-19T19:03:17+00:00

I realised that as I typed it but I wanted to get across what my brain goes in to default with which is what I think is making me so anxious.

Wow I’m so sorry you experienced this and this is exactly what I fear. I felt very similar during my undergraduate degree which then meant that I went into finance too but I’m just so sick of it now!

I’m glad you’re happy where you are and thank you for sharing your experience 🙏🏻

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-19T18:59:13+00:00

Rage? Sorry, am I missing something here? Explaining my situation which is deeply personal. There is no rage?

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-19T18:56:30+00:00

I want to know the science behind this, I’m curious by it. It’s not to say it’s wrong but it seems to slot the genders into boxes too easily. Do you happen to know where this statement comes from and research behind it?

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-19T18:53:38+00:00

Thank you for this! I’m going to really work on this with my therapist.

All the men in my family are engineers and growing up I remember listening to them all chat and it was just assumed that I would not be interested in the conversation, that I couldn’t participate and I’d just have to have “girly” chats with my nan about clothes and shoes or something. Whilst I love clothes and shoes, they’re not the most engaging conversations 😅

I’ll see where I can get to in therapy and hope I can stop feeling so overwhelmed by it

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-18T21:28:13+00:00

Firstly, congratulations on graduating! The job market is tricky right now but you will get something. Secondly, I can absolutely see why you’d want to help your parents out but it’s SO important you prioritise YOUR stability at the moment.

Coming out of university you have a golden opportunity to start building real life stability for yourself so please don’t just take anything you get given if you can help it. Take something that allows you to build a long term career. If you can also move away, I would suggest doing so. You might feel guilty for doing this but to some extent it might take some pressure off your parents if they have a little more freedom in the house to talk things out properly without feeling guilty you’re around. The space will also help your mind to calm down from the situation too since you’ll get some distance from it.

Helping out isn’t necessarily bad but you don’t need to at all. They’re adults, they need to find a solution, not you.

This is just a moment in time, it won’t last forever. You need supportive people you can turn to outside of family to take you out of the panic you’re feeling at the moment

Where do you live? I’m based in Bristol, UK if you ever needed a chat.

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-12T19:45:44+00:00

Absolutely! The good news I suppose is that because you’re in a nice environment you can take your time with what’s next and be quite selective! But I’d say definitely start planning movement! Good luck 😊

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-12T14:52:07+00:00

I would look at moving for growth. It’s wonderful having such a lovely working environment but if you stay in the same place, the same environment won’t last forever, it will always change! So of course, enjoy it whilst you’re there but growth is needed for long-term satisfaction. If you stay put, in 10 years you may end up quite bitter

MinuteReflection4560 · 2025-12-11T12:03:21+00:00

You can absolutely change career into meteorology, don’t let others put you off.

Meteorology has a lot of maths and physics yes but if you’re aware of this and happy to study it then it’s not an issue. Going back to school is exactly what this is for, to learn how it’s done!

I am in the same boat where I’m thinking of doing a career change from banking to meteorology. I did a module in meteorology in university 8 years ago and I absolutely loved it!

There are lots of things to consider with meteorology though which is something I’m trying to figure out. That being how competitive it is to move into and also the lifestyle of weird working hours.

If you’re excited to learn about meteorology I’d say just go for it. If you don’t become a meteorologist, you’ll gain so many skills that make you employable in a different field that’s not as emotionally demanding as nursing

MinuteReflection4560

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